Spring-spoke wheel.



J. D. HAYMAN.

SPRING SPOKE WHEEL. APPLICATION mum 11mm, 1911.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

warms 'rnn'r. curios.

JOHN HAY MAN, SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

SPRING-SPOKE WHEEL.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. HAYMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at No. 815 North Bond street, in the city of Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Spring-Spoke Wheel; and I do hereby declare the following to be a 1 full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to spring spoke or resilient wheels designed to be used in place of the costly pneumatic-tired wheels.

The objects of the invention are to pro vide a wheel inlwhich are present all the advantages and none of the disadvantages of the pneumatic-tiredwheel. Also to provide an improved spring spoke wheel wherein the spokes may be readily applied and removed,,and whenapplied, are positively locked infplace against accidental clislodgment.

A further object is to reinforce and strengthen the spokes in a novel manner.

Still another object is to provide a wheel which, when in use," will be practically noiseless, and one wherein the parts are not liable to get out of ordeu 9 i To these and other ends theinvention comprises certain new and useful devices,

all of which will be more fully explained hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side View of the spring spoke wheel, assembled, with a portion of the rim broken away, so as to show the way in which the spokes are locked to the folly; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective, showing a portion of the hub, folly and rim, connected by a few of the spring spokes, and disclosing the manner of attachingjthespokes. Saidfigure alsoshows a portion of solid rubber which may be used as a tire; Fig. 3 is a section view of the assembled wheel, showing the different parts and sections and also showing the arran'gementiof the two rows of spring spokes; Fig. lis-a perspectiveof a portion of the hub, partly broken away to show one of the sockets for holding the spring spokes, and the way in which the spring spokes fit into the hub, also the sepairatingband between the spring spokes; Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N V, 24, 1914, Application filed August 4, 1911.. Serial No. 642,428.

5 is a detail side view of a part of the hub, showing two spring spokes as they are attached therein, with a wedge-shaped key for.

attachment; Fig. 6 is adetail perspective of the wedge-shaped key; Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of' one of the spring spokes, and

a Wedge-key; Fig. 8shows the wedge-key, equipped with latch springs on the upper edge thereof.

The wheel .1 comprises a felly 3 bearing a tire 2 preferably of rubber, which may be. of the solid or cushioned kind. A hub 10,

encircled by the folly is connected therewith by flat steel spokes 6 adapted to yield or vibrate under weight or strain, and to cushion or absorb the shocks incident tostriking obstructions, ruts or holes in theroadway,

so that jars or jolts caused thereby will not be felt by persons riding in vehicles equipped with my invention.

The spring spokes 6 are preferably bent into substantially ogee shape, and I prefer to use two rows of spokes, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 to impart double strength to the wheel and reduce theliability of its crowning or dishing, the bends in the respective rows of spokes lying in, opposite directions.

The spokes areindividually attachable and detachable relatively to the hub andfelly, to enable repairs to be quickly and easily effected. To thisend, the outer face or periphery of the hub and the inner face of the folly are each provided with a series of annular-1y arranged radially extending sockets 13, (Figs. 2 and 4), one wall of each of which is recessed as at 14, the base of each socket having formed therein a seat or depression 15, forming a lateral extension of the recess 14. The opposite ends of the spokes fit into therecesses 14 in the folly and hub, respectively, so that the outer flat sides of the spokes lie approximately flush with the wallsof the sockets 13, and the walls of the recesses l inprevent lateral shifting of the spokes. The extreme endsof the spokes are offset or bent overto form lips 7 t l which fit in the seats 15 in the bottoms of spokes thus tends to lock them more tightly hub to hold the rims in place.

against displacement since the lips. then press the keys more firmly into the constricted openings of the sockets. I prefer to corrugate the side walls of the keys l0ngi= tudinally, as shown in Fig. 6, such corrugations coacting with the side walls of the sockets to hold the keys and spokes in place and insure a better fastening.

The keys are held in positionby rims-or rings 4 and 11 fitting over and concealing the outer ends ofthe keys, in the felly and hub. Suitable fastenings as bolts pass transversely through the rims and the felly and The outer edges of the rimsfi may extend beyond the outer periphery of the felly, as shown in Fig. 2 and over the sides ofthe tire 2, to prevent lateral displacement thereof,

The sockets13 preferably extend from side to side of the hub andfelly, respectively, to accommodate the inner and outer. ends of both series of spokes 6, a single key for each socket being provided, asin Fig. 2, such key being insertable from either end of the socket. I

Straightening rings or annularbands 5 and 12 may be arranged to encircle the hub and to be encircled by the felly, respectively, between the series of spokes to separate-the latter to hold them in position and'prevent contact whilethe wheel is in use, thereby eliminating noise. These rings reinforce the hub and felly;

The exposed edgesofthe respectivekeys may be provided with opposed spring latches 16 (Fig. 8), the effective ends of whichfa'ce each other. Whenthe key is inserted from one end ofthe socket, the first spring latch is crowded down by contact with thering to pass beneath the latter until the free end of the latch escapes and springs up on the opposite side of the ring" to pre ventthe withdrawal of the key, and "the free end of the remaining spring latch, by contact with the ring prevents further insertion of the key. In this, way, the keys are locked against accidental 'displaceiz'ment.

The keys may be removed by pressing downone of the spring latches so that its end lies beneath the adjacent ring and then driving the key out of its socket. ltgwill'be noticed that no bolts, screws, rivets, or similar fastenings which are liable to become loose, and rattle, are employed to hold-the spokes in place. 5

Any spoke 6 may be remoyed independently of thefothers and without dismantling the wheel, by simply removing the rims t and 11 and dislodging the keys which lock the inner and outer ends of ,the,'spoke, rerpairs made and the spokereplaced."

The arrangement of the spokes is such that when the wheel strikes airobsti'uction or depression, the spokes below the hub are compressed to resist the Weight or load,

thereby allowing the hub to shift below the or jolt is cushioned and the hub returns to its normal position without a sudden recoil. The number of spokes employed may be varied with the loadto besupported.

Braces in the. form of bosses 17 (Fig.5) may be formed on the hub and felly, respectively beneath thebe ndsuof the. spokes, to

limit theflexure thereof and prevent breakage.

Changes may bemade in the form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What 1 claim as new, is

1. In a spring wheel, the combination with a felly or rim; and a hub; of a series of resilient spokes to, connect the felly and hub, the opposite ends of each spoke having lips formed thereon; the felly and hub each having sockets, which sockets are recessed to form seats; the inner and outer ends of A the spokes being lodged in theirrespectiv'e seats, the side walls of which seats prevent lateral displacement of the spokes, and keys insertible into the sockets to contactwvith and overlie the lips, to prevent endw-ise withdrawalof the spokes.

2. A spring wheelfcomprlsing a hub hava r ing an annularly arranged series of substantially wedge-shaped sockets formed therein, with the constricted ends of the sockets at the outerperiphery of the hub, a felly or rim having a similarly arranged; series, of sockets on ts inner periphery, the constricted ends of which he at the inner, periphery of the felly, resilient spokes whose respective opposite ends enter the sockets in the hub and in the felly or rim, said ends terminating in lips bent at an angle to the spokes, keys conforming in shape to the sockets and laterally insertible thereinto with their Q broader edgesor bases seated on and overlying the lips to prevent the dislodgment of the spokes, and means to hold thekeys'in place.

3. A spring wheel comprising a hub h aving an annularly-arranged series of substantially wedge-shaped sockets formed therein,

with the constricted ends of the sockets at the outer periphery of the hub, a felly or sockets on its inner periphery, the constricted'ends of which lie atthe inner periphery of the felly, resilient spokes whose respective opposite'ends enter the sockets rim having a similarly arranged series of A.

in the-hub and in thefelly or rim, said ends terminating inlips-bent at an angle to the spokes, corrugatedkeysconforming in'shape to the sockets and laterally insertible thereseries of sockets, the open ends of which are constricted, and one side Wall of each socket being recessed and communicating with a depression in the bottom of the socket, the end of each spoke being seated in the recess in its respective socket and having a bent lip to fit in the depression, retaining meansinserted into thesockets to overlie the lips and prevent their Withdrawal, and devices to hold the retaining means in place.

5. A spring Wheel comprising a hub member, a rim member, and a series of resilient spokes connecting the members, one of which members has an annularly arranged series of sockets, the open ends of which are constricted, and one side Wall of each socket being recessed and communicating with a depression in the bottom of the socket, the end of each spoke being seated in the recess in its respective socket and having a bent lip to fit in the depression, corrugated keys inserted into the sockets to overlie the lips; said keys corresponding substantially in shape With the sockets, to prevent endivise Withdrawal of the spokes, and means to retain the keys in place.

6. Aspring Wheel includinga hub having a series of sockets extending thereacross,and each socket having a constricted peripheral opening, a felly, a double series of spring spokes having bent inner ends, seated in the sockets in pairs, the outer ends of the spokes being secured to the telly, separating and strengthening rings located between the respective series of spokes and adjacent the felly and hub, respectively, and a single means insertible into each socket to prevent Withdrawal of the inner ends of the pair of spokes seated therein.

7. A spring Wheel includinga hub having a series of sockets extending thereacross, and each socket having a constricted peripheral opening, a folly, a double series of spring spokes having bent inner ends, seated inthe sockets in pairs, the outer ends of the spokes being secured to the telly, separating and strengthening rings located between the respective series of spokes and ad acent the telly andhub, respectively, a single key insertible into each socket from either face of the hub to overlie the bent ends of the pair of spokes seated therein, and prevent endwisc Withdrawal of the spokes, and means to hold the keys in place.

8. The combination, in a spring Wheel, ineluding a felly or rim member; and a hub member; of a double set of spring spokes to connect the folly and hub; one of said membershaving a series of sockets entered by the adjacent ends of the spokes; keys insertible in the sockets to secure the spokes; a separating ring between the respective sets o't spokesqand yielding latches on the keys to engage the separating ring and lock the keys in place.

9. The combination in a spring Wheel, of a hub, and a folly or rim, one of which is provided with sockets having constricted openings, one Wall of each socket being recessed, spring spokes having bent ends seated in said recesses, removable keys corresponding in shape to the sockets and insertible thereintoto contact with and 0verlie the bent ends of the spokes to prevent cndwise Withdrawal of the spokes, and means to retain the keys in place.

JOHN D. HAYMANM In witness whereof and to signatureof JOHN D. IlAYMAN We have hereunto set our hands:

C. M. Browns, D. JENNIE SAVAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

